Page 17 of Ash Fall

Foster comes around the side of the truck and speaks quietly to him for several seconds, explaining enough that some of the panic leaves the young man's face.

Torrin sags back against the slats beside me.

I tighten my grip on his hand. "That was two people, Tor. Two, and now your nose is bleeding."

"It's fine."

"Stop saying that."

He gives me a tired look and uses his sleeve to wipe it away.

"I mean it. If your father comes out and you lock him down, you're done until we know you're actually okay."

"I can make him remove his orders."

"Good. Then make him do it."

His face softens slightly.

"Bossy."

"You like me bossy."

His gaze holds mine for half a second too long. "Yeah, love. I do."

Heat moves through me unexpectedly at the look in his eyes. Of course, this is the time my body decides to notice the way he's looking at me.

Simmons lifts his radio. "Colonel Ashford, sir. This is Simmons at the gate. Do you copy? Over."

There is a brief hiss of static and then silence for a few seconds.

"Go for Ashford. Over"

"Sir, Sweep Team 4 has returned and there is someone here you probably want to see. Over"

"I’ll decide who I want to see, Simmons. Who is it? Over."

Simmons glances at Torrin.

"Your son, sir."

The silence on the radio this time lasts long enough for me to start looking around and see if soldiers are heading toward us.

"Bring them inside. I'm coming out."

The gate rattles fully open, and both trucks roll through.

The yard is bigger than it looked from outside. Military vehicles are parked in neat rows beside stacked pallets, and several loading doors along the warehouse are open. More soldiers move around inside, and the sight of all those uniforms and guns makes my grip on Torrin's hand tighten again.

The trucks stop and Mars gets up first and lowers the tailgate before jumping down. He turns and holds a hand up toward me. For a second, neither of us moves. Then Gage steps past Torrin and drops to the ground.

"I've got her."

Mars's expression changes to frustration, but he lowers his hand without arguing.

Gage reaches up, and I put both hands on his shoulders while he catches me around the waist and lifts me down. My babydoll dress shifts in the process, and I automatically tug it back into place over the shorts underneath before stepping away.

Torrin tries to jump down after me but his legs almost give when he lands.